Methadone

[Ray]

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And why, when just about every pharmacy is open on Saturday, do so many prescriptions specify collect Saturday and Sunday dose on Friday?"

i believe this has been changed to " collect sunday dose on sat", am i wrong?

[Ray]

"I had a script on friday (15/9) for methadone, 36ml daily, dispense 252ml on 14/9 for a patient I know fairly well. What to do? Could I find the appropriate section in the MEP? No. So I phoned my former pre-reg tutor, who said that he had reduced the amount accordingly plenty of times in the past, so that was what I did (he also happens to be the professional services manager for the group I work for). I've now found the section in the MEP where it says about CD scripts being dispensed only in accordance with the prescribers directions (so I take this to read that I shouldn't have dispensed it)."

Steve, we do also dispense the remaining doses if some were missed " up to 2 times, as if they miss it 3 times they have to see the drug centre for evaluation and dose-adustment". is this considered an illegal supply? i do remmember reading we are allowed to do it in the SOP?

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Ray

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And why, when just about every pharmacy is open on Saturday, do so many prescriptions specify collect Saturday and Sunday dose on Friday?"

Because once GP surgeries started closing Saturdays many pharmacies decided to do the same and asked the clinics to switch their clients to Monday to Friday pick-ups.

Addiction, like diabetes,eczema or a whole host of other chronic conditions is also a marketing opportunity. I have in the past decided that the addiction market offered the best opportunity for growth for certain branches.

That opening half day Wednesday and half day Saturday meant that clients had to turn up to collect six days a week, and at least twice a week in the morning.

Change the opening hours to Monday to Friday with no half days, and it's only five collections a week with no mornings required.

It was part of an active decision to become more addict friendly - and it was successful.

Jeff

[sam_lewis]

I had a patient who was supposed to collect on Saturday for 4 days worth of methadone, he had told the pharmacist on wednesday that he was out of town and could he collect on Sunday. precscription was not stamped ie miss a day and then collect remainder. did not know what to do so supplied because it was a sunda. got a call from the regular pharmacist on monday asking me why i had done it and they can make a complaint etc. a lesson learned and i have never done it again.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by sam_lewis

I had a patient who was supposed to collect on Saturday for 4 days worth of methadone, he had told the pharmacist on wednesday that he was out of town and could he collect on Sunday. precscription was not stamped ie miss a day and then collect remainder. did not know what to do so supplied because it was a sunda. got a call from the regular pharmacist on monday asking me why i had done it and they can make a complaint etc. a lesson learned and i have never done it again.

The complaint should be made against the pharmacists in on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday who all failed to contact the prescriber in order to get the script amended, or the alteration in supply date refused.

Jeff